The Dickinson press., 1887-12-31
HUNTING FOR RIVER THIEVES.
Creeping in a Boat Along Ii Wharves
and Piers of New York CITY.

Creeping in a Boat Along the Wharves
and Piers of New York City.
1t was n poor night for river thieves to be
abroad. They generally come out when fog
and rain and mist are thickest. Jose and
Cregan bent to their oars with q short arm
and shoulder stroke, the kind that would
1rive Bob Cook wild, but is tile best i'll tho
world for this kind of work. Past the silent
colony of canal boats Off Jcanncttc park tho
boat shot along awhile, then halted.
Slowly and silently the men padded close
to the outer edge of the feet. On one of the
~furtlest boats could he seen u MAJ handling
a long hawscr. They watched him, satisfied
themselves that he was all right, then rowed
away. They crept closely to the edges of the
wharves and piers, hiding in the friendly
shadows so as to spring out unexpectedly OH
any crooked work that might be going on.
They rowed among the fishing smucks at
Fulton Market basin. Baskets, coils of rope
and lawsers lay around in the bright moon
light. Not Il soul was on guard. 1t seemed
strange that none of the gangs came around
to steal until you remembered the constant
fear they are i'll of the harbor police. The
river was as quiet as Il country graveyard on
a stormy winter day. a Catherine ferry
boat stole with noiselcss wheel out of her
slip. Not even the warning whistle was
sounded as she silently started out.
Into the basin between the twin "Dovec
locks" crcpt TIE police boat. Giant floats
laden with freight cars rose and fell slowly
with the tide. like sea monsters asleep. \
shanty on Il small float was visited. There
wasn't II sign of life about it. "Old Nc
Donald isn't doing any work Tonight" said
one. Hes a 'speculator,' and sometimes
people come here to sell him things between
midnight and daylight" McDonald's 'luinpy
looking rowlmats were moored close by.
They bobbed up and down and made queer
noises when the little waves broke on their
sides, as if they We're guying the officers for
not finding any one to arrest.
Foul, pungent and mysterious low tide
doors, suggestive of old, dank tombs, floa:cd
put from under the pier. Slowly the men
rowed their boat up between the Shiny, gray
timbers. Jose flashed the light through the
Aim reccsses and scanned every Granny with
rare. "Sometimes they hide a boat or two
in there with IL nice little jag of sugar" he
said, ''and snake it out lively when they
think we're not looking" There was nothing
to be seen this time, though. Up past the
bridge the boat skinned, cnch man keeping
his weather eye lifting" for aanphibious
crooks. The vast roadway i'll the air hung far
aloft, like some fairy creation of silver. Its
stout cables and heavy guy ropes looked like
unsubstantial cobwebs from the river.
Through and under all the open piers tho
police boat threaded its way. Ships and
barks and brigs lay at their moorings on
every hand with not q man on guard on
their decks. And why. Because ship cap
tains in this port know that river piracy is u
thing of the past. The harbor police and
Recorder Smythe have made this charming
style of crime so costly that the tough gen
tlemen who We're addicted to it nave sworn off.
In the past three Years the remainder of tho
once active gangs that infested this city have
been sentenced to some 100 years imlrisol-
ment i'll Sing Sing. The "Bordcr Gang or
"Hook Gang used to operate from under the
long wharf at Corlear's Hook. They are all
gone now.-New York World.